Year 4, Our Year 1: Chapter01
by CL
Summary: The first chapter of a series that chronicles an odd group of Ravenclaws in a pre-Harry Hogwarts.


Prologue:  
  
"Its hard not to reminisce about the old days. Year 4, it would be the midpoint of our  
journey through Hogwarts. We had an inkling that a lot of things would change. Some of us had   
more than an inkling, puberty and its accompanying hormones began to kick in. We were growing   
out of the shell of childhood in Hogwarts, now we were to become young women and men there. We  
just didn't know how much of a new beginning it would be. We just never expected things to   
change so much..."  
-Excerpt from the Diary of Elizabeth 'Liz' Canty-  
__________________________  
A Part of Hogwarts: Salad Days  
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gte132q/days/days.htm  
  
Year 4, Our Year 1  
Chapter01: The Tomboy, The Musician, The Samurai, and...the New Guy   
  
By CL  
  
[Insert disclaimer here]  
  
*** Indicate change of scene or flashback  
__________________________  
  
Part 01: Interesting Encounters   
  
Though some find the almost complete lack of supervision on the Hogwarts' Express to be   
disturbing, I believe adding more chaperons would decrease student morale. After all, they will  
be under the watchful eyes of Professors for the next nine months. What harm could a few hours   
of unsupervised interaction do?   
-From a Hogwarts faculty internal memo-   
  
  
The girl glanced about the Hogwarts' Express as she made her way to her accustomed   
compartment. She sighed contentedly; the commotion on the train was comforting. She closed her   
eyes and took in all the noise about her: the excited conversations of friends catching up over   
a long summer, First Years anticipating the school year, and dozens of other little occurrences.   
Normally she would be in the thick of it, but she was in an uncharacteristically introspective   
mood.  
"Hey Liz, something's up." A voice said interrupting her reverie. The sight of a tall  
boy with a shaggy mop of brown hair greeted her eyes. She bit back the urge to make a good   
natured, but well worn, comment about her friend's growing stomach. The once lanky boy ate a   
little too well of Hogwarts' fine feasts.  
"We don't see each other for all of summer holiday and your first words are   
'something's up'." She said with mock-anger before rising and pulling him into a brief hug.   
"Nice to see you too, Devon." He blushed.  
"Sorry," he said sheepishly.  
"So what's up?" She said while absentmindedly running a hand through her short red hair.   
"There's some new guy on the train."  
"Devon they're a lot of them. I believe they are called First Years."  
"No I mean new guy. He's obviously our age asleep alone in a compartment three cars   
down. The First Years are too shy or scared to see who he is, and no one I've run into   
recognizes him. I overheard that the Trio are going to 'interrogate' him in a minute or so."   
Liz clenched her fist at the mention of the Trio. They were a group of Slytherin   
beauties whose hobbies included making others as miserable as possible.  
"Fetch Ami, we've got to get to check this out before they do," She ordered.  
"Ami is asleep. You know how the time zones are murder for her this first week. Its   
just you and me," He said happily. Quickly, they hurried through the train's cars to beat the   
Trio to the compartment in question. As they entered the appropriate car, they saw the three   
girls standing about the closed door of the compartment. Liz cursed under her breath.   
"Don't you three have a mirror to crowd around," She said coldly. The girls turned to   
face them with bemused smiles.  
"Why isn't it the tomboy and her ever widening friend. What? Where's the foreigner? Did   
she finally get deported by the immigration authorities?" One replied viciously. Devon watched  
as his friend's eyes narrowed on the lead girl. He imagined Ami working over the Trio with her   
fists; she would never do it, but it was a nice fantasy.  
"You're just lucky we never cross paths over the summer..." Liz said cracking her   
knuckles. The Trio burst into laughter.  
"As if we'd be caught dead in that mud hole...wait I believe its called Ireland now."   
They said between chuckles. Instantly, Liz's hands shot to her wand. She felt Devon's hand   
come to rest on her shoulders.  
"They're not worth the point loss," He whispered.  
"Let's get out of here before I throw them off the train...," Liz said out of the corner   
of her mouth.   
Devon reluctantly followed his friend back the way they came. They heard the door to   
the compartment in question open and the sound of voices.  
You know the Trio are going to rip that poor guy apart," Devon said breaking the silence  
of their retreat as they passed through the car into the next.   
"Look, Devon, it pisses me off too but..." She was cut off by the loud sounds of running  
feet. They both turned to see the Trio coming upon them rapidly. The two were pushed out of   
the way as the Trio rush past almost in tears. Liz and Devon didn't bother to exchange words   
before doing a complete 180.  
The moment they reentered the car, the most delicious aroma greeted their senses. It   
was buttery, meaty, and cheesy at the same time. It stopped them dead in their tracks.   
"Mmmmm, croissant, Swiss cheese, and I think that's pastrami," Devon identified. Liz   
could feel her stomach begin to rumble with hunger. She turned her gaze towards the origin of   
the aroma only to see a boy's head peek out of a compartment. Her green eyes met with his brown   
for a brief moment. He looked away and took a bite of a sandwich before pulling himself back   
into the compartment. Its door slid shut.  
"That was weird," Devon said, "But I think the Trio lost, so I guess that means we came  
out on top this time.  
"Yeah," Liz replied, "I think we did. C'mon let's head back. We should wake Ami up  
before the snack trolley comes by. I'm suddenly hungry." Her friend gave her a quizzical   
look.  
"What about...?" He then felt his own stomach gurgle. "Never mind."  
  
  
Part 02: The Forth Year First Year Student  
  
"You see there's four houses: Gryffindor, full of hero wannabes. Hufflepuff is full of   
overworking duffuses. There's Slytherin, a pack of power hungry jackals who'd turn on each   
other in a second. Finally ya got Ravenclaw; they're too smart for their own good.  
"So which is the best house, sir?"  
"Whichever one you're sorted in of course!"  
-Dialogue between a First Year and the conductor of the Hogwarts' Express.-  
  
  
Alexander 'Alex' Duffy returned his gaze to the rapidly moving landscape outside the   
train's window. He sighed heavy heartedly as he stared at his reflection. He wouldn't have   
called himself handsome, nor would he have called himself ugly. He was well...just himself.   
His black hair was cut short in an almost military style; he liked the simplicity of it. His   
soft brown eyes were a contrast to the neutral-disinterested expression his face currently held.   
The one thing he truly admired about himself were his strong legs; he loved to run.  
His thoughts went back to the three witches that barged into his compartment waking him  
up. A slight smile greeted his lips. Though he hadn't ever run into three girls so pretty or   
so cruel at the same time, he had certainly showed them. Alex took a final large bite to finish  
off the sandwich his mother had made him. Its aroma finally began to fade from the compartment.   
He wondered if everyone at Hogwarts would be like the three girls.  
"Another year, another school, least I know I'll be at this one for awhile," he said to  
himself before resting his head on the window's glass and falling into a light sleep. Several  
hours later, he was awakened by the conductor's announcement.  
"Hogwarts' Station FIVE MINUTES!" He made his way, with the other students, out of the  
train. No one seemed to pay him much interest.  
"Firs' Years! All Firs' Years follow me!" A booming giant of man shouted. His face was  
almost completely hidden by a big bushy beard. The man reminded him of a grizzly bear. Alex   
turned to follow the older students before a ham-sized fist clapped him on the shoulder.   
"Alexander Duffy?" Alex froze and turned to see the man towering before him. He felt his   
throat go dry.   
"Yes...sir."   
"Dumbledore told me all about ya. Come along with the Firs' years." Alex nodded.   
"Name's Hagrid by the way." While Hagrid was a giant among men, Alex felt like one among the  
First years.   
-Great a fourteen year old like me standing with all these little kids..- Alex   
felt worse as some of the trailing older students caught sight of him and giggled. The   
excitement of the others as they rode the boats to the castle did not defeat the sudden flush of  
embarrassment. Within minutes they were standing before a rather severe women. He thought he   
heard the name McGonagall.  
"Before the Start-of-Term Banquet, you'll be sorted into your Houses. This is an   
important ceremony, for your houses will become your second family. You'll study and socialize   
with members of your houses through your journey through Hogwarts. Your achievements will earn   
your house points while any rule breaking will subtract points. The house with the most points  
at the end of the year will win the honor of the House Cup." The headmistress explained.  
Alex wasn't sure whether to be afraid or excited. His concept of school was being   
turned completely upside down. He was too in awe of the Great Hall to notice the stares of some  
of the students on him. In his distraction, he missed most of the Sorting Hat's song. One by   
one he saw the students line up to be separated into their houses until his name was called.   
Alex's stomach took a dive towards his feet as he made his way upon onto the stool.   
All eyes seemed to be focusing on him. Not one member of the faculty did not seem to draw any  
attention to his awkward status despite the quizzical looks from some of the students.  
A slight whispering entered his ear.  
"Oh yes...I see...I see the smarts and the wits...hmmmm a Lion's no good for you, too  
impulsive for your tastes. Nope, Badgers are...well they are just too badger like for you. So   
what shall it be dear boy the Snake or the Eagle? Let me dig a little bit. Where does that   
ambition lie? Ah ha! That was simple enough.... RAVENCLAW!" The traditional applause followed   
his steps to the large table. He was about to sit with the other Ravenclaw First Years  
before a prefect pulled him to sit with the Forth Years. A scroll seemed to aparate into his   
hand.  
"Welcome to Ravenclaw Duffy!" The prefect said shaking his hand as he read the scroll   
quickly. "Says here you're a transfer student from the United States, odd." Alex nodded, but he  
was more interested in the redhead that was across from him on the table. She was giving him an  
odd look that made him uncomfortable. "Nevertheless the hat says you're a Ravenclaw, then a   
Ravenclaw you are. We won't hold the fact that you're a yank against you." The older boy added   
with a smirk.  
"Thanks." He was about to talk to the girl only to be interrupted by more clapping as   
the rest of the First Years were sorted into the houses. The silvery haired Dumbledore soon   
started the feast.  
"This guy was the one who made the Trio cry on the train." A male voice said.   
Instantly a half-dozen eyes came upon him. Alex glanced about uncomfortable under the   
attention.  
"C'mon, spill it, we want to hear." The redhead added.  
***  
"You a muggle that wandered aboard or something?" One   
demanded.  
"Of course he's not, he's wearing the proper robes," The other said pointing at his   
clothing.  
"You deaf...YOU DEAF...you must just be stupid being this old and only getting into   
Hogwarts now," The third said cackling at her own joke. Alex blinked and kept his neutral   
expression, waiting. The three girls snorted in disgust at his lack of response.  
"Sorry was distracted by your skinniness," He spoke up suddenly. "Look at yourselves,   
scarecrows to the last. Is your mom afraid of breaking a rib when she hugs you?" He shook his  
head in disgust as he unwrapped the sandwich his mom packed him. The sweet aroma of hot   
pastrami, buttery croissant, and Swiss cheese filled the compartment. He took a large   
satisfying bite before continuing, "Please eat something, I'm worried." He took another bite   
before pressing the sandwich towards the three. "Here take a bite, its delicious I promise you.   
Please!" The three girls stared at the sandwich obvious to the price they paid to become so   
slim and oblivious to his insults. He could almost hear the three shrunken stomachs rumble in  
desperate need.   
***   
"I...I think I touched a nerve," he finished. A chorus of laughs followed. Alex   
couldn't help but swell with some pride at his accomplishment even as the spotlight fell away  
from and numerous smaller conversations started. His apprehension about school and his odd   
status quickly faded away as he began to chat and eat away the remainder of the feast with the   
other Forth Years.   
  
  
Part 03: Fireside Introductions  
  
"Weird? Unnatural? Those are muggle words son! When I told ye that you'd meet some   
strange folks now that you're a wizard ya should've believed me! Forget all that nonsense.   
Them there will be the best friends you'll make. Don't matter if you went to a muggle school   
like your pop or this Hogwarts place. Friends for life I reckon. So go on and have fun and   
learn a little too if you can squeeze that in!"  
-Unnamed Muggle parent in a letter to his son attending Hogwarts-  
  
  
Alex fell into one of the large cushioned armchairs in the Ravenclaw common room. He   
was too excited to sleep. Hogwarts was such a different experience from his old school. His   
feelings dimmed somewhat as he saw the other students split off into their accustomed circle of  
friends. Rather than wander to bed with the First Years, he had opted to linger in the common   
room with the other older students. The redhead from the table sat down on a sofa across from   
him.  
"Elizabeth Canty," She said with a slightly Irish accent. "Don't know if you caught it   
at the feast. Anyways, everyone just calls me Liz." She then pointed to a tall boy with a   
shaggy mop of brown hair that was busy strumming on a six string by the fire. "That lump over   
there is Devon Bradford. Over there is Ami Satoshi." Liz indicated a raven-haired Japanese   
girl who was chatting with some others in the far corner. "Her parents are both muggles working  
out of the consulate in London," She explained before extending her hand. Alex took it and   
shook it.  
"Alex Duffy from the States. Parents both magic users." Alex began unsure of how to   
continue. " Hogwarts is...I mean...its just...well..." The girl chuckled.  
"Don't worry about it. We were all that way our first time here. Pretty weird though   
that you transferred in all of a sudden. I didn't think you could do that." A shrill voice   
interrupted the conversation.  
"Last time Hogwarts had a transfer student was..."  
"Thank you," Liz said irritably, "You'll get used to Little-Ms.-Encyclopedia over   
there..."  
"Don't whine to me Forth Year! You'll be just like me if you want to pass the   
N.E.W.T.s," The same shrill voice replied from behind them somewhere.  
"So how long have you been a Ravenclaw?"   
"Ami, Devon, and myself are all Forth Years. The house is pretty much family, a bit   
dysfunctional at times, but family. Don't worry about it. You'll fit right in." She said   
anticipating his question. "The other houses aren't so bad. Hate to even say this, but   
there's a couple Slytherin that are hospitable at times too...hospitable doesn't mean   
trustworthy though."   
"I see, I think. It gets pretty competitive with the other houses, doesn't it?"   
"Only Slytherin seems to resort to playing dirty. You can expect the Gryphs to go for   
the long shots for points, end up loosing big if they fail. Hufflepuff is steady but   
predictable." Devon's guitar musings stopped, as he plopped down right next to Liz.   
"My flame haired goddess," He said very melodramatically, "Recruiting another male into  
your band of hooligans? You wound me. I thought I had you and Ami all to myself." Devon   
shifted his attention to Alex.   
"Don't let her fool you. She's really a hot-tempered-gorilla-babe-tomboy; she's only   
our 'leader' cause we're afraid of her." The remark earned him a light slap to the back of his  
head.  
"See what I mean?" A pillow expertly launched from across the room silenced him   
further.  
"You deserved that Devon-kun," Ami said with another pillow in hand. "But that does   
not make what you said about Liz-chan entirely incorrect." Liz shot the Japanese girl a dirty   
look.  
"Is that the thanks I get for teaching you English? You had to rely on that   
translating quill for half our first year."   
"Alex-san, you can tell when Liz is truly angry when her accent overwhelms her speech   
completely. She becomes totally incomprehensible." The girl said ignoring her friend. Alex   
cracked a smile. Liz turned a light shade of red.   
"As you can see, she's only turning red; so she is only annoyed."  
"Ami..." Liz said in disturbingly silken tone, "That fancy martial arts stuff won't   
protect you if keep going on like that." She scowled at Alex who was looking on at the group's   
interaction with an amused smile on his face. "Watch it boyo, you could be next..."  
  
  
Notes:   
-chan is suffix added to an end of a female name in japanese to express affection  
-kun is the same but for a male name.  
-san is added to express respect or formality. In this instance Ami is formal because she has   
not gotten to know Alex yet.  
  
  
Part 04: Start of Term Trials  
  
"Dear Poppa,   
I love school, but I hate classes.   
  
Love,  
[name withheld on request]"  
-Excerpt from The Collected Letters of Hogwarts' Alumni-  
  
  
"No houses I could understand but no uniforms? I just can't believe that," Liz said in   
disbelief.   
"No uniforms, we took the Floo network to school every morning, and went home the same   
way everyday," Alex reiterated as he chased the last few floating O's   
in his cereal bowl.   
"Even in Japan we still had uniforms in public school," Ami chimed in. "I would be at a  
loss on what to wear everyday. How many schools are there in the United States? There are   
others in Europe, but I could never find a definitive number."   
"At least six. I bounced between that many." Alex shrugged.  
"That must of been rough having to move away from your buddies like that," Devon   
said sympathetically.  
"I guess. Not worth it to make many new ones in your going to end up moving in a couple  
months," He replied with a forced smile.   
"Oh..."  
"Awww, don't get all depressed," Liz cut in. "You're here, and there's no way they'll   
pull you out of here. C'mon, we gotta finish up or we'll be late for Transfiguration."   
***  
Ami felt her attention begin to wane slightly as Professor Bins continued to drone on   
about the Goblin Rebellions. The ghost's droning voice destroyed the wisps of imagination that   
would bring life to the bloody battles between goblin and wizard. Stretching the sore muscles   
in her neck, she adjusted herself to sit up straighter in her seat. Devon, Liz, and Alex were   
all slumped over their books with glazed looks in their eyes.   
She could see a few of the Slytherins give her a nasty glance. 'Look at her sitting up   
straight and paying attention to every word that old bugger is saying, brownnoser, arrogant   
witch...' It was easy to guess their thoughts of her. It did not affect her; she was above such  
things.   
The girl suppressed a sigh and allowed her eyes to follow the now pacing ghost teacher.   
Like a mantra she began scribbling on her scroll. Knowledge is power. Good marks earn points   
for my house. The house is my family. Points bring glory to my house. Honor prevents rule   
breaking. Rule breaking subtracts points. Rule breaking brings shame to the house. It was like  
a chant to regain her focus on the lecture. She suppressed another sigh as the focus failed to   
come to her. Instead, she imagined herself, once more, standing before a dark wizard armed with  
only her wand and her wits. It seemed wrong somehow. In her mind's eye the wand became her   
family's sword. That image drove away the boredom for the rest of the class.  
***  
"Mr. Duffy," Professor Snape said as Alex rose with the others. "Where do you think you  
are going?" Alex bit back the urge to swallow loudly. He cast a helpless glance as the other   
Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs streamed out of the classroom. Devon, Ami, and Liz waited by the   
doorway.  
"To lunch, sir."  
"Well you're going to be late," Snape said matter-of-factly. "You potion was adequate   
in class, but I'd not have you hold back the class due to the incompetence of your previous   
teachers. Now, you will mix up this potion to prove to me you can hold your own."  
"Understood, sir." Alex sent a wave over to his waiting friends and began unpacking his   
Potions book. "Ummm..Professor? What if I mess up?"  
"It would mean you'll need extra homework for the entire year to catch up." The   
professor said irritably while unpacking a sack lunch. Alex groaned inwardly as he began to   
read the ingredients he would need; all he wanted to do was eat with his new friends.   
***  
Devon tuned the well-worn six-string guitar with callused fingers. He didn't mind   
others thinking he just took up the guitar on adolescent impulse like so many others. He knew   
he was at musician heart and soul. He'd never give up on the instrument.   
A light blues riff started almost on its own accord. His eyes wandered away from the   
strings to overlook the grounds of Hogwarts from his perch on one of its many stairs. His tune   
shifted to rapid rock beat seeing what looked like the Gryffindor Quidditch team practicing in   
the distance. A lone student nervously approached a girl across the way; his tune shifted to a   
smooth jazz rhythm. He continued with the style some more before looking for another scene to   
inspire him.   
Devon's gaze fell upon a certain figure in a crowd of other students; his hands moved   
their own accord. The tune was a timeless classic to all guitarists. Devon couldn't help but   
feel a little melancholy as the slow almost mournful notes filled his ears. The figure suddenly  
turned in his direction. Instantly his fingers found the wrong notes dispelling the pleasant  
tune.  
"Bugger," He cursed opting to put his guitar away rather than continue. "Soon...I just   
gotta find the right time...the right time." He wondered if she'd ever read what lay in his   
eyes as he sat on his perch a little longer.  
***   
The steel tip of the dart struck the board with a slight thump. In that same instant   
the steadily shifting numbers froze locking in the score. A couple of people groaned as the   
score came up short. Coins changed hands. Liz held out her hand to accept the trio of finned   
darts from the dejected loser.  
"Nice try," She said before looking at the victor. "I'm ready when you are Samantha."  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" The girl questioned. "Your walking soundtrack isn't   
here like usual." She ignored the Slytherin's attempt to psyche her out. "Ah, we're better off  
without that guitar. It's easier to concentrate." She tossed her dart. It struck home on the   
twenty.   
Liz glanced about. She knew she downed her lunch faster than the others so she could   
have enough time for a round. Ami and Devon should have finished eating by now; Alex would still  
be stuck doing Snape's competency test. Liz quickly tried to shake the uneasiness from her   
mind. She couldn't let Samantha's words get to her. It wasn't a serious game; it was an after   
lunch match with only a few Knutes on the line. The others would be out any moment now. Liz  
aimed carefully before loosing her dart at the circular board that was haphazardly spelled upon  
the stonework of the castle. Her luck had turned; the numbers locked in on eight before the tip   
struck.   
It did not matter too much; they had two more throws apiece. The ever-shifting numbers   
of the Wizard's dartboard guaranteed an unpredictable match. The only thing that stayed   
constant was the bull's-eye. Two throws later. It ended with the Slytherin the victor.  
Liz handed over the four bronze pieces and finally saw her friends trotting over   
quickly.   
"Lost, again. Samantha is having a good run today."  
"Lost? Well then we didn't miss anything new," Devon said before apologizing. "Sorry,   
got caught up in a song."  
"My mother owled in some fresh sushi; I took some time to savor it properly," Ami   
explained.  
"Oh...hey no big deal. We've still got plenty of time before Herbology. Hmmm, I   
wonder if Snape is through with Alex?"  
Devon sniggered.  
"Snape will probably make him stay so that he only has five minutes to eat before our   
next class."  
***  
A little while later inside the Great Hall, Alex was busily trying to swallow as fast as   
he scooped food into his mouth.  
  
  
Chapter05: End of the Trials   
  
"If you are not mentally exhausted by the end of the day, I haven't assigned enough   
homework."  
-Unnamed Professor at Hogwarts circa 1872-  
  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick," Alex groaned as he rolled on the common room's sofa.   
"That's what you get for eating so much so fast at lunch." Liz replied while flipping   
through her assignments. "Hope you don't plan on laying around all night. You do have   
homework." The reminder made him feel even worse. Ami stopped writing in mid sentence unable   
to restrain from commenting.  
"He'll just procrastinate all night then turn in substandard work, it is American   
tradition."   
"Well yank?" Devon questioned interested in what come back would follow from behind his  
own stack of texts. Alex tossed the words over in his mind for a moment.   
"I'd argue the point, but it's the truth." He said conceding defeat in the verbal duel.   
"Cop out!" Devon exclaimed. A pillow smacked the musician in the face before   
falling onto his ink vial. In a panic, he began dabbing up the running ink with his robes   
before it could stain his scroll. Liz shrugged before taking up her quill again.  
"A sign he's feeling better." Ami nodded and too returned to her work. The boy on the  
couch grimaced as his stomach protested the mistreatment it received earlier. He rolled onto  
his side and wished he hadn't thrown the only pillow within arms reach. Inwardly he smiled.   
It hadn't been the best first day of school; but it was pretty damn close..."   
  
  
END Chapter01  
  
  
In Chapter02, The Yule Ball and the Great Muggle Contraption, months later the   
gang must deal with a thing called a record player as well as the prospect of   
getting dates for their first dance. Featuring many song lyrics. 


End file.
